


Growing Pains

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, Mild Angst, Past Drug Use, Pre-Relationship, Teacher/Parent AU, Tumblr Prompt, well teacher and parent to lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-06
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-09-22 12:26:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9607586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: A conversation Robert Gold has been dreading finally happens, but it's just the beginning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [belizafryler](https://archiveofourown.org/users/belizafryler/gifts).



> Kindleheartzyou ask me to RumBelle this prompt. 
> 
> Character A is a widowed single parent and Charater B is their child’s teacher. Character A has to awkwardly explain to Character B that their child may be acting out in class because Charater B reminds them of their dead parent and they want their attention.

He’d been dreading this day since Neal was three. His son had come home in a thoughtful mood, as serious as only a seven year old with something big on his mind can be, and asked why he didn’t have a Mommy.

“Or another Daddy, Carl at school has two Daddies, and everyone else has Daddy and a Mommy. Why do I only have you Pops?”

His bairn couldn’t know how those words twisted like a knife in his father’s chest. He also couldn’t know the truth, so Robert Gold sat his son down and told him a tale of a loving, kind mother, who loved her little boy very much, but had become sick and died when he was very small. He told Neal how his mother had the same unruly brown hair as him, how she had sweet blue eyes, and a warm smile. 

Neal had listen closely and asked no further question. Robert had breathed a sigh of relief, and only felt a little guilty for lying to his son. Wasn’t the fairy tale of a loving parent better than the truth of a junkie mother who had left her toddler home alone so she could score the hit that killed her? The memory of the phone call at work that told him of his crying son still haunted Robert’s nightmares. 

It was only a few weeks later that he got another phone call about his son, this one from his school teacher asking for an immediate conference.

Robert was confused Neal was a sweet tempered, bright boy. Why on earth would his teacher need to discuss his recent behaviour? He arranged a time for the meeting and set up a sitter for Neal all while wondering what had happened to change his son’s behaviour.

The second he walked into the classroom it hit him. There had been a staff change mid-term due to old Mrs Philpott’s hip operation being moved up. Robert hadn’t met the new teacher in person, but he had carefully read the information sheet the school had sent out about her credentials; the information sheet which featured a school photo head shot. That element had clearly stuck in his mind more than he’d thought because the ideal mother figure he’d described for Neal was the spitting image of Miss Belle French.

He listened in growing horror as she tactfully explain that over the past few weeks Neal had been talking over other children, pretending to be sick or bullied so he could spend lunchtimes in the classroom with her, and today he’d shoved another child out of line so he was at the front of the line for recess, (the child at the front got to hold teachers hand apparently).

“This only started a few weeks ago, Mister Gold, has anything changed at home that might have triggered this behaviour?”

“He asked about his mother.”

“I’m sorry I don’t understand.”

The whole story came pouring out of him, the truth of the matter, the lie he’d told Neal, the embarrassing fact that she had inadvertently be the inspiration for the lie, everything. When he was done Gold was surprised at himself, he simply didn’t talk about his dead wife to anyone except his therapist. Talking to Miss French was much easier than talking to Dr Hooper, he could see why Neal had projected his need for a mother on to her, she was kind and sensitive, but that didn’t excuse his son’s behaviour. 

“The town carnival is coming up, isn’t it?”

Gold frowned at her sudden change of topic.

“Aye, Miner’s Day is this weekend.”

“How about I join you and Neal for the day? You see a few weeks ago I mentioned to the class that I was new in town and didn’t know many people. I think Neal may have latched on to that as well as me fitting the description you gave him.”

Gold thought about it for a moment. Storybrooke was such a small town that there was no rule that teachers and parents couldn’t socialize. It might help Neal and to be honest the idea appealed to him for other reasons, none of which he was going to think about right now.

“That sounds like a good idea Miss French.”

She gave him a warm smile.

“Outside the classroom you can call me Belle.”

 

The following Fall Neal moved up to the next grade and when Mrs Nolan handed out family trees for them to fill in he had a name to put next to Mother and a photo of the three of them to stick to the page.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> joylee56 said:  
> Growing Pains Bae finds his mother's death certificate. 
> 
> WARNING : Mentions of past drug use.

Phone calls about family while at work were the source of perpetual nightmares for Robert Gold. When Belle called just before five that day he had no sensible reason to suspect the worst, but his stomach had dropped when he saw his wife’s name on the caller ID.

The very first thing she’d said to him was that Neal and her were fit and well. He’d breathed a sigh of relief and listened as she explained that something was bothering their son. 

“He won’t talk to me about it, Robert, but he’s unhappy.”

“I’ll be home in twenty minutes, sweetheart.”

Belle had been Neal’s step-mother for the past five years. There had never been anything that Neal felt he couldn’t talk to her about before, he’d even gone to her to ask about puberty before he’d talked to his father. Robert was proud of that; the way the three of them had become a family. On the short drive home from the shop Robert racked his brains to think of anything Neal wouldn’t be willing to talk to Belle about. As far as he could work out there was only one possibility; Milah.

Belle greeted him at the door and nodded her head in the direction of the stairs. Robert understood that to mean that Neal was in his room. Belle gave his cheek a fast kiss and slipped into the study, she left the door open just in case he needed to shout for her. Robert squared his shoulders and walked up the stairs, trying to shake the feeling of looming dread. He tapped his knuckles against Neal’s door and waited for a beat before calling out; “It’s me son.”

“Come in.”

Neal was sat on the window seat staring out into the woods at the back of the house. Robert stepped into the room and took a seat on the bed. He slowly counted the thirty in his head before saying; “Your Mom says you’re upset. Anything you want to talk about?”

It felt like an eternity before Neal replied; “Emma is looking for her birth parents.”

The Nolans had fostered then adopted Emma Swan a few years ago; Neal had become firm friends with the girl. Robert was ready to listen to the difficulties his son’s best friend was having, and suggest a few ways they could try to make Emma’s search easier, but he didn’t get a chance to say anything before Neal continued; “There’s all these websites out there that let you look stuff up. Emma was showing me today and I found Mom’s death certificate.”

Robert felt sick. He’d never thought he’d have to have this conversation with his son. Neal finally turned his eyes from the window and glared at his father.

“You got anything to say about how my mother died of asphyxiation due to a heroin overdose?”

Robert couldn’t speak. Neal snorted at him; “Gonna tell me it’s not true Pops? Gonna spin me some more pretty lies?”

Finally Robert managed to speak; “Yeah I lied to you. I couldn’t tell seven year old you that your mother died a junkies death.”

Neal twisted his fingers together, a habit he’d had since he was a kid and one he’d very likely picked up from Robert who was doing something similar. 

“I’m older now Pops, will you tell me the truth now?”

Robert’s first thought was that twelve was still too young to be told, but then he realised that he would have happily never told Neal about this part of their past. It wasn’t just Milah’s death he didn’t want to talk about, it was his own history he was ashamed of, but it was time.

“Milah and I met in rehab. We were both junkies,” Neal’s eyes widened in shock, Robert held his hand up to halt his questions, “Please, let me get the basics out and then I’ll answer whatever questions you want,” Neal swallowed and nodded, “We were both in rehab for heroin use…”

Over the next ten minutes Robert told Neal how his parents had got clean and fallen in love, how they had built a life together and eventually got married, how they happy they had been to discover they were going to have a child.

“I thought our lives were good, but it turns out Milah had started using again, and I didn’t see the signs. I was so angry after she died; at first with her and then with myself for not seeing what she was going through. For a long time I couldn’t even say her name, and not talking about her became a habit and my bad habit robbed you of knowledge of your mother. I am sorry Neal.”

Neal raked his hands through his hair; “So when I asked why I didn’t have a Mom, that was all lies?”

Robert blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall and shook his head, “Not all lies, Milah did love you Neal.”

“But she loved heroin more.”

The bitter tone in his son’s voice made Robert’s jaw clench. He inhaled sharply; “I pray to God you never experience what a harsh master addiction is. Milah loved you, and yes I judged her for falling back into the habit we had both overcome, but I understand what a temptation it can be.”

“Have you even used again?”

“No, but I will confess I have been tempted, especially in the early days.”

Robert remembered some old adage that all sons reached a point when their father was no longer their hero, he was certain that this was the moment Neal would lose all respect for him, if he hadn’t when he found Milah’s death certificate, but Neal surprise him but pushing up from the window seat and crossing the room to wrap him in a hug.

“Please Pops, talk to someone if it ever gets that bad for you.”

The tears he’d been trying to hold back started to flow and Robert spent a minute sobbing against his son’s shoulder. He gave a sniff and pulled away from Neal, dipping his head to wipe his face on his sleeve, he just caught Neal swiping a hand over his own face before the lad asked; “Do you have any pictures of Mom, I mean Milah.”

“She was your Mom, you can call her that son.”

Neal frowned and bit his lip; “Belle is the only Mom I’ve ever had, I think I want to call my birth mom Milah, if that’s okay?”

“Whatever you want, and yes I have photos in the safe in the study.”

Belle looked up from her book as Robert and Neal walked into the study. They both looked wrung out and she could tell they had been crying.

“Are you two okay?”

Neal lopped across the room and gave her a tight hug.

“Pops is gonna show me photos of Milah. Will you look at them with us Mom?”

Belle glanced at Robert and received a pleading look and a nod. She knew about Milah and Robert’s past, he had told her all of it before he’d asked her to marry him; from the looks of things Neal knew the details now as well, Robert would tell her what had been said later.

“I loved to see the photos Neal.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bookwormchocaholic said:  
> Growing Pains Gold: What all did you, Neal, and Belle do at the Miner's Day celebration?

Neal was so excited as they parked up in town that he was practically vibrating in his seat. 

“Come on Pops. We don’t want Miss French to think we aren’t coming!”

“Neal, we’re twenty minutes early.”

“But Pops!”

They weren’t the only ones early; Miss French was already waiting for them by the entrance to the park. She greeted them with a wave and warm smile. Neal slipped free of Robert’s hand and rushed toward her, while he was glad to see his son so happy; it made him feel a little sad that he was so excited to see another adult. He’d been Neal’s only parent for so long that a tiny amount of jealousy was to be expected he supposed.

“I hope we didn’t keep you waiting, Miss French?”

“Not at all Mister Gold, but I thought we had agreed on first names today?”

Neal bounced up and down; “Does that mean I get to call you Belle too Miss French?”

Robert ruffled his son’s hair, “That’s up to Belle.”

She tilted her head to one side, making a pantomime of considering, “I think that would be alright for today, since we’re not in school, but you’ll have to remember to call me Miss French again on Monday, okay Neal?”

Neal stuck out his hand and shook hers, “Deal Belle.”

There was an awkward pause where neither of the adults knew what to do to get the day moving. Thankfully the seven year old in their midst had no such problems.

“Pops, Belle has never been to a Miner’s Day before, we should start with the museum display.”

“A fine idea son.”

Gold held out his hand, a lump formed in his throat as Neal took his and then grabbed Belle’s hand as well. They must look like a real family, not a school teacher taking pity on a single father and his son. He pushed the gloomy thoughts away as his son babbled to Belle about the history of Miner’s Day. Belle listened attentively and offered a few bits of information about how miners in Australia were different to here in Maine.

“Pops, Australia, where Belle is from, is on the other side of the world.”

“I know son, do you remember the word we learnt for a place on the other side of the globe?”

Neal bit his lip, “An-ti-po-de-an.”

Gold squeezed his son’s hand, a proud smile on his face, as Belle grinned at them both; “Well done for learning such a big word Neal, and well done Robert for teaching him it.”

Both the Gold men blushed and shuffled their feet. Belle took a breath and look around the rest of the fair; “I think we’ve done enough learning for one day, Neal which is your favourite game?”

They played all of the games. Robert discovered that the Aussie cricket team had missed out on Belle as a fast bowler when she won the top prize on the coconut shy. Neal was over the moon with the robot she’d won on that one, but Robert swore to himself that the batteries would amazingly run flat very quickly. Neal was a dab hand at the hook a duck game and won a flower keyring that he shyly gave to Belle. Somehow Robert won the top prize on the hoopla game, a giant teddy bear. Neal kicked him in the heel until he got the hint and gave it to Belle. The sight of her blush as she took it from him left him so wonderstruck that he returned the brief kiss she gifted him with.  
Neal didn’t see the shocked moment between his father and his teacher, he was distracted by the candy floss stand. Belle’s fingers were tracing over her lips as she whispered, “Please don’t apologise for that Robert.”

The apology die on his lips; “I, I. Would you like some candy floss Belle?”

“Yes please.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sarashouldbestudying said:  
> Growing Pains Gold: how did Belle react when you told her about your past?

“If you’re going to make any Trainspotting jokes do it now please.”

Robert’s knuckles where white on his cane, his hair was in his face, his head was bowed, his voice tight with pain. Belle’s hand reached for him, but faltered and fell back to her side. Joking was the last thing on her mind; she had no idea how to respond to Robert’s confession of his drug addict past. 

“I, I, I need to go.”

She walked out of the pawnshop, the chiming bell drowning out his tortured sobs.

Six months since Miner’s Day, five months Belle and him had been dating, and they had been five months of heaven for Robert, but he’d been greedy, been daring to think of more, of a ring on her finger, and had to confess his deepest sins before he could ask the question, he had to tell her the worst of him before he asked her to marry him, he couldn’t not tell her, and now he had, now he had told her the worst truths of his dark past she had walked out on him. As she should. He was a fool to think she would stay. How would he explain this to Neal? He would have to be brave and take the blame. This failure was on his shoulders, his past had destroyed his future. He would be honest with his son and tell him that he’d scared Belle away. His son might hate him, but…

The bell above the door jangled again. Robert wiped his nose on the back of his hand and called out; “I’m closed.”

“Robert?”

“B…Belle?”

She was stood before him, her hands twisting nervously in front of her. Robert swiped at his tear streaked face and rose to his feet.

“Did you forget something?”

Her nose scrunched at him, he’d always found that adorable, he was glad he got to see it one more time.

“Robert, did you think I was leaving you for good? Oh you silly man!”

Belle threw herself at him, her arms circling around his neck as she almost knocked him over.

“I am sorry Robert. I just need a moment that was all! I was always coming back!”

His hand hesitantly came to rest on her back.

“You weren’t leaving me?”

Belle took his face between her hands and looked him directly in the eye; “Robert Gold, I am not going anywhere, but there may be times when I need a moment to gather my thoughts, okay?”

He blinked at this amazing woman in front of him, and nodded; “Is there anything you need to ask, to know about my past?”

Belle took a deep breath; “Yes I have questions, but they can wait until you feel up to answering them.”

Robert pulled her into him and hugged her tight, she gripped him just as hard, he could believe in this moment that all of his broken pieces were healing under her touch.

“I’d like a cup of tea and then I think I can tell you everything you want to know.”

Belle kissed him and smiled; “I’ll put the kettle on, sweetheart.”


End file.
